Abstract In the process of developing new conservation policies, policymakers must have access to information which will inform their decisions. Evidence rarely considers the complexities of social-ecological systems. The Social-Ecological Systems Framework (SESF) is an adaptable yet structured approach for understanding the processes that lead to changes in natural resources, using a systems-based approach that aims to treat ecological and social components equally. Few conservation planning and policy initiatives have implemented the SESF to assess the interlinked social and ecological consequences of conservation policies. We apply the SESF to explore the barriers to the potential implementation of a policy of consumptive utilisation of wildlife in Kenya, a policy regarded as successful in several southern African countries. Using secondary data and expert review we developed a conceptual model of the social-ecological system associated with consumptive utilisation of wildlife in Kenya. We then analysed how different combinations of first and second-tier variables interacted to create focal action situations, and subsequently identified seven barriers to this policy. Our analysis revealed that game ranching would require large-scale investment in effective monitoring systems, new regulations, training, market development and research, considerations about equity, and devolved ownership of wildlife. The least barriers existed for game farming. The SESF appears to be a useful framework for this purpose. In particular, it can help to reveal potential social and ecological barriers which conservation policies might face in attempting to meet intended goals. The information required to implement the SESF are necessarily cross-disciplinary, which can make it challenging to synthesise.

中文翻译：

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将社会生态复杂性纳入保护政策

摘要 在制定新的保护政策的过程中，政策制定者必须能够获得为他们的决策提供信息的信息。证据很少考虑社会生态系统的复杂性。社会生态系统框架 (SESF) 是一种适应性强但结构化的方法，用于理解导致自然资源变化的过程，使用基于系统的方法，旨在平等对待生态和社会组成部分。很少有保护规划和政策举措实施了 SESF 来评估保护政策的相互关联的社会和生态后果。我们应用 SESF 来探索在肯尼亚实施野生动物消费性利用政策的潜在障碍，该政策在几个南部非洲国家被认为是成功的。使用二手数据和专家审查，我们开发了与肯尼亚野生动物消费利用相关的社会生态系统的概念模型。然后我们分析了第一层和第二层变量的不同组合如何相互作用以创建焦点行动情况，并随后确定了该政策的七个障碍。我们的分析表明，游戏牧场需要在有效的监控系统、新法规、培训、市场开发和研究、公平考虑以及野生动物所有权下放方面进行大规模投资。游戏养殖存在的障碍最少。SESF 似乎是用于此目的的有用框架。特别是，它可以帮助揭示保护政策在试图实现预期目标时可能面临的潜在社会和生态障碍。